HYDE - HYDE

HYDE, an iconic J-rock artist, released his first best of album digitally in the US. Self titled album HYDE, containing seventeen songs and released in March in Japan, includes a cross section of songs taken from various stages of HYDE’s solo career.

MADE IN HEAVEN opens the album sweetly with pounding drums and savage riffs. From the very first second it’s explosive, but perhaps too much. Track two, IT’S SAD, is also immensely energetic but the vocal line is more focused and directed. Ongoing throughout is the siren-like backing line. Just over half way, it sounds as if it’s going to end, but then blasts into the bridge.

The beginning of EVERGREEN [DIST.] leads into a slow rock ballad. It’s beautifully arranged and the lyrics are very heartfelt. The chorus is softer but still massively infectious, and the guitar solo in the bridge is outstanding. JESUS CHRIST starts with syncopation and a wave of synths. It’s surreal but powerful, and these qualities are sustained throughout. The piano adds to a busy, but not overwhelming, thick texture. At the bridge the piano is most prominent with single notes played rapidly. Overall it’s a stunning, surreal track.

More simply structured with less use of counterpoint in the verses is the fifth track, COUNTDOWN. However in the chorus it’s a completely different story. It’s just too hectic and confusing as the beat falls on weaker parts of the lyrics. HYDE voice is very pleasant in THE OTHER SIDE, a slower song with a more accentuated pace. Like IT’S SAD, it has a charismatic electric guitar arpeggio line.

SHINING OVER YOU, the longest song on the album at over six minutes, continues the softer approach. It begins with sensationalist strings and heartbreaking, soft vocals that promise an epic track; however, in the verses, the vocal harmonies aren’t executed well - a small imperfection on an otherwise flawless track.

HORIZON is a lighter song with a more acoustic feel that takes you on an exploration of the world. At one point, when HYDE sings in English, the distortion effect makes it rather piercing to listen to. SEASON’S CALL has a very similar feel to HORIZON. Unless you listen to it many times and are determined to know it by heart, you’ll struggle to remember it distinctly. On the other hard, it’s a song that is perfect to listen to when relaxing as it easily washes over you. HYDE sings enticingly low in the verses of SWEET VANILLA. It’s very driven, employing the continuous use of cymbals, and finishes almost abruptly, whereas the use of snare drums is more noticed in HELLO.

In HIDEAWAY, HYDE’s boyish vocals in the choruses deliver the lyrics with force. It ends with a seemingly weird noise interference that makes sense once you listen to the beginning of the next song, PRAYER, which punches heavy guitar chords out so quickly that it seems like random noise at first. HYDE’s deep, rich vocals on top of the heavy backing give this song enormous impact. The amount of power delivered is indescribable, both from the music and the lyrics. It is simply magnificent.

The bass line on MIDNIGHT CELEBRATION is very prominent, and the intertwining synths, along with HYDE’s growls, make this a punchy track. UNEXPECTED [DIST.] is certainly much unexpected. It is a surreal, ethereal song using echo and distortion effects. Everything overlaps and intertwines, weaving a fluctuating, absorbing melody. Then halfway through the song, the song takes on a different shape with frequent yells backed by heavy strumming. Towards the end, the pace suddenly picks up. UNEXPECTED [DIST.] is almost like three separate songs, each moving almost casually into the next.

The penultimate track, THE CAPE OF STORMS, begins dramatically with rich, flowing strings. The offbeat drumming offset against dreamy strings makes this an intense daydream. The violin solo in this song is outstanding, and many of the notes played on the synths and strings that should clash horribly with the rest of the music not only compliment the song, but add that admirable flavour of defiance. It ends on a beautiful, virtuosic passage.

Composed by HYDE for Mika Nakashima, GLAMOROUS SKY is the concluding song of the album. The English version, previously unreleased, wraps up the album perfectly as it has the right balance of heavy dynamics and moving vocals to be the epitome of HYDE’s music style. Bringing you back to the beginning of the album, GLAMOROUS SKY completes the full cycle.

Taken as a whole, this is a gorgeous album. If you’ve got a friend who is a fan of HYDE, this will make a great present; for people who maybe haven’t listened to his music before, this compilation of his best hits is just the thing to get them started. Perhaps you'll even discover a new reason why HYDE is so extraordinary.